Mount RobsonMount Robson (3,954 m (12,972 ft)) is the highest peak in the
Canadian Rockies, but not the highest in British Columbia, since there
are some higher mountains in the
Coast Mountains and Saint Elias
Mountains . However,
Mount RobsonMount Robson is particularly impressive because
it stands out on the continental divide towering over Yellowhead Pass
, one of the lowest passes in the Canadian Rockies, and is close to
the
Yellowhead Highway . Its base is only 985 m above sea level,
meaning it has a total vertical relief of 2,969 m or nearly 10,000
feet. In addition, it rises the 3 km to its summit in a distance of
only 4 km from its base at Kinney Lake. Climbing
Mount RobsonMount Robson is a
challenge suitable for experienced and well-prepared mountaineers, and
usually requires a week on the mountain.
Mount RobsonMount Robson

Mount Columbia (3,747 m (12,293 ft)) is the second-highest peak in
the Canadian Rockies, and is the highest mountain in Alberta. There is
a non-technical route to the top involving only kicking steps in the
snow, but the approach is across the
Columbia Icefield and requires
glacier travel and crevasse rescue knowledge. It is normally done in
two days, with a night at high camp, but some strong skiers have done
it from the highway in a day. On the other hand, many others have been
stuck in their tents for days waiting for the weather to clear. From
the same high camp as for Mount Columbia, it is possible to ascend a
number of other high peaks in the area, including North Twin, South
Twin, Kitchener, Stutfield and Snow Dome.

Snow Dome (3,456 m (11,339 ft)) is not an impressive peak by Rockies
standards, but it has the distinction of being the hydrological apex
of North America. Water flows off Snow Dome into three different
watersheds, into the
Pacific OceanPacific Ocean ,
Arctic OceanArctic Ocean , and Atlantic Ocean
via
Hudson Bay . It is the easiest and most popular ascent on the
Columbia Icefield, a gentle ski to the top from Columbia high camp,
but glacier travel is required

Of the highest peaks, only Mount Temple (3,543 m (11,624 ft)) has an
established scrambling route. All other mountains (including other
routes up Mount Temple), require more mountaineering skills and
experience. Despite the fact that it is only a moderate scramble, even
Mount Temple should not be attempted by novices. According to the
Alpine Club of
CanadaCanada , more people have died on Mount Temple than any
other Canadian mountain, including seven youths in an unsupervised
American school group in 1955. The upper slopes are usually covered
with snow and there is a glacier on top. Scramblers on Mount Temple
should carry an ice axe and enough clothing to survive a freezing
night on the mountain if a storm hits and prevents them from
descending.

The
Canadian RockiesCanadian Rockies are quite different in appearance and geology
from the American Rockies to the south of them. The Canadian Rockies
are composed of layered sedimentary rock such as limestone and shale ,
whereas the American Rockies are made mostly of metamorphic and
igneous rock such as gneiss and granite .

Five national parks are located within the Canadian Rockies, four of
which are adjacent and make up the
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks .
These four parks are Banff , Jasper , Kootenay and Yoho . The fifth
national park, Waterton is not adjacent to the others. Waterton lies
farther south, straddling the Canada–US border as the Canadian half
of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. All five of these
parks, combined with three
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia provincial parks, were
declared a single
UNESCOUNESCOWorld Heritage SiteWorld Heritage Site in 1984 for the unique
mountain landscapes found there.

Throughout the Rockies, and especially in the national parks, the
Alpine Club of
CanadaCanada maintains a series of alpine huts for use by
mountaineers and adventurers.

HUMAN HISTORY

THE ROCKIES AND THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

The
Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway was founded to provide a link from the
province of
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia to the eastern provinces. The main
difficulty in providing such a link were the Rockies themselves:
treacherous mountain passes, fast rivers and sheer drops made for a
difficult railway construction process. The following articles
describe in detail the political and technical feats involved: